"CAROUSEL"

SSAOS 1995 production

• Music by Richard Rodgers

• Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein 2nd

• Based on the novel 'Liliom' by Ferenc Molnar

• SSAOS Production at Sunderland Empire 7 - 11th November 1995

"CAROUSEL" was the second collaboration of Rogers and Hammerstein. First produced in 1945 it had followed on from their success with "OKLAHOMA" in 1943.

Oscar Hammerstein was born in 1895, his father a theatrical manager. His uncle was a Broadway producer and his grandfather an impressario. Little wonder that he was destined for the stage!

His first score "ALWAYS YOU" was written in 1920 and "ROSE MARIE" and "DESERT SONG" followed in 1924 and 1926. The following year he collaborated with Jerome Kern to produce "SHOWBOAT" and in 1932 Kern and Hammerstein wrote "MUSIC IN THE AIR".

Richard Rodgers, born in 1902, was writing songs from the age of eleven. His father was a music- loving doctor and his mother an amateur pianist. In 1917 he completed his first score and two years later was writing songs with Lorenz Hart.

The Rodgers and Hart partnership was prolific for nearly two decades and they wrote more than 40 shows and film scores. These included classics like "ON YOUR TOES" "BABES IN ARMS" "tHE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE" and "PAL JOEY"

Then in 1943 came Rodgers and Hammerstein's "OKLAHOMA"and was the first of a new genre, a thrilling and unique fusion of Rodger's musical comedies and Hammersein's innovative operetta. In their 17 years together they produced many classics including also "SOUTH PACIFIC" "THE KING and I" and "THE SOUND OF MUSIC"

Cast

Dale Meeks, Ann McLennan, Delia McNally, Helen Gavin, John Middleton Angela Szalay, Alan Davison, David Armstrong, Moira Milburn, Peter Skevington, Pat Meeks, Eddie McNamee, Lisa Finlay, Craig Shepherd.

Heavenly Friend - Pat Meeks	Billy Bigelow - Dale Meeks		Mrs Mullin - Ann McLennan

NOTE:- See the other production by the SSAOS of  "CAROUSEL" in 1958 
(click on date to view details)

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